Multiplication and Division · Semester 1

Dividing by 6, 7, 8, and 9

Students will use multiplication facts to divide numbers by 6, 7, 8, and 9, understanding division as sharing and grouping.

About This Topic

This topic explores the primary parts of a plant, roots, stems, and leaves, and their specific functions. Students learn that roots absorb water and minerals while anchoring the plant, stems transport nutrients and support the plant, and leaves make food via photosynthesis. This is a foundational topic in the MOE Science syllabus that connects to the broader theme of Systems.

Understanding these functions helps students appreciate how plants survive in different environments. In Singapore, we can observe how the aerial roots of a banyan tree or the thick stems of a cactus are adaptations. This topic comes alive when students can physically model the transport system or conduct experiments to see how water moves through a plant.

Active Learning Ideas

Simulation Game: The Celery Experiment

Place a celery stalk in colored water. Over 24 hours, students observe the color moving up the stem, then cut the stem to see the 'tubes' (xylem) that transport water.

⏱ 40 min·Small Groups

Generate mission

Role Play: The Plant System

Assign students roles as 'Roots' (sitting on floor), 'Stems' (standing), and 'Leaves' (holding arms out). They pass blue balls (water) from the floor to the top to show the flow of resources.

⏱ 20 min·Whole Class

Generate mission

Think-Pair-Share: Root Strength

Show a picture of a tree after a storm. Pairs discuss why the tree stayed upright, focusing on the anchoring function of roots, and share their ideas with the class.

⏱ 15 min·Pairs

Generate mission

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

Roots only 'suck up' water like a straw.

What to Teach Instead

Roots also anchor the plant firmly in the ground. A hands-on activity trying to 'pull' a weed versus a loose stick helps students feel the anchoring strength of roots.

Common Misconception

The stem is just for holding the plant up.

What to Teach Instead

The stem is also a transport system for water and food. The colored celery experiment is the best way to visually prove that the stem has an internal transport function.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best hands-on strategies for teaching plant parts and functions?

The 'colored celery' experiment is a classic for a reason, it provides a clear visual of the stem's transport function. Having students act out the roles of different plant parts in a 'human plant' model helps them understand the system as a whole. Collaborative gardening or weeding also gives students a tactile sense of how roots anchor plants in the soil.

Why are leaves usually flat and broad?

Being flat and broad gives the leaf more surface area to catch sunlight, which it needs to make food for the plant.

Can a plant survive without its roots?

Not for long. Without roots, the plant cannot get water or minerals from the soil, and it would easily fall over. It would eventually dry up and die.

Do all stems grow above the ground?

Most do, but some plants have underground stems, like potatoes! These stems store food for the plant to use later.

Browse curriculum by country

• Americas
• US
• CA
• MX
• CL
• CO
• BR

• Europe
• UK
• IE
• FR
• DE
• ES
• IT
• NL
• PT
• SE

• Asia & Pacific
• IN
• SG
• AU